Opportunity Information: Apply for M22AS00286
GM-22-02 is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) discretionary funding opportunity focused on preparing for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico by improving the ability to see, predict, and communicate when and where migratory birds move offshore. The basic problem it targets is that the Gulf already has extensive offshore oil and gas infrastructure, but it does not yet have offshore renewable energy facilities. Even so, interest in Gulf offshore wind is rising, with Louisiana requesting a BOEM renewable energy task force and research from 2020 pointing to promising wind resources offshore of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. At the same time, the Gulf (and the Atlantic) experiences major spring and fall bird migrations, much of which occurs at night and over open water. Those nocturnal offshore movements could create collision or other lethal interaction risks once wind turbines and related infrastructure are installed, so BOEM is investing in tools that can anticipate migration intensity and location offshore in near real time.
The core goal of the project is to extend Cornell University’s BirdCast migration forecasting system, which has historically focused on terrestrial areas, so that it can provide live offshore forecasts for the Gulf of Mexico and other coastal/offshore zones. In practical terms, the work is meant to adapt the existing BirdCast modeling approach to offshore conditions and then translate the results into real-time, interactive mapping products that resource managers, decision-makers, and the general public can access. These maps are intended to support planning and operations by showing likely migration “hot moments” and “hot areas” offshore, which can inform monitoring, risk evaluation, and potentially mitigation measures around offshore wind activities.
A major technical piece of the study is building an analytical pipeline around NOAA’s Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) data. NEXRAD radars can detect biological targets like birds, but separating true bird movement signals from weather, insects, sea clutter, and other forms of radar “noise” is challenging, especially offshore. The project’s first step is to calibrate the detection and filtering methods in places where seasonal migration is strong and where coastal radar coverage can capture heavy passage. The description highlights initial work near high-traffic migration areas along the Texas coast, including around Brownsville and Corpus Christi, using nearby NEXRAD stations. That calibration phase is meant to refine how the system identifies “bird-like scattering” in radar imagery so that the model can more reliably estimate migratory activity rather than confusing it with non-bird echoes.
Once the calibration approach is working well in those high-migration test areas, the project then scales the same modeling framework to additional NEXRAD stations along the coast. This expansion is important because offshore radar coverage and detection quality vary by location, and a useful Gulf-wide forecasting product needs to draw from multiple radars and handle different environmental conditions. The end result BOEM is seeking is an operational-style capability: an offshore extension of BirdCast that ingests radar information, applies tuned filters and models, and produces timely, understandable forecast outputs through interactive maps.
Administratively, this opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning BOEM expects substantial involvement and collaboration with the recipient rather than a simple pass-through grant. It is explicitly described as a single-source cooperative agreement with Cornell University, specifically the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, implemented through the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (NAC-CESU). The listing identifies the opportunity number as M22AS00286, with an award ceiling of $200,000, and an original closing date of June 23, 2022. The activity category is environmental (CFDA 15.423), reflecting the project’s focus on wildlife monitoring and impact prevention in the context of emerging offshore renewable energy development.
In short, GM-22-02 funds the adaptation of an established bird migration forecasting tool to offshore Gulf waters, using calibrated NEXRAD radar analytics to produce live, map-based forecasts. The intended value is early, actionable awareness of offshore migration events so that offshore wind planning and management can better account for avian movement patterns and reduce the chance of harmful interactions as the region’s offshore wind sector develops.Apply for M22AS00286
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GM-22-02: Live forecasts of migratory bird movements offshore to monitor potential avian interactions with wind development" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-05-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-06-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - BOEM GM-22-02 (M22AS00286)
What is GM-22-02?
GM-22-02 is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) discretionary funding opportunity focused on preparing for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico. It supports work that improves the ability to see, predict, and communicate when and where migratory birds move offshore, especially during major spring and fall migrations.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
What problem is BOEM trying to solve with this funding?
The Gulf of Mexico already has extensive offshore oil and gas infrastructure, but it does not yet have offshore renewable energy facilities. As interest in Gulf offshore wind increases, BOEM is investing in tools to anticipate offshore bird migration intensity and location in near real time. This is important because many bird migrations occur at night and over open water, and future wind turbines and related infrastructure could create collision or other lethal interaction risks.
What is the main goal of the project described in GM-22-02?
The core goal is to extend Cornell University’s BirdCast migration forecasting system, which has historically focused on terrestrial areas, so that it can provide live offshore forecasts for the Gulf of Mexico and other coastal/offshore zones.
What is BirdCast in the context of this opportunity?
BirdCast is a migration forecasting system developed by Cornell University (Cornell Lab of Ornithology). Under this opportunity, BirdCast is being adapted from primarily land-based coverage to offshore forecasting, with outputs intended to be available as live, interactive mapping products.
What geographic area does the project focus on?
The primary focus is the Gulf of Mexico, with an emphasis on creating offshore forecasts. The description also notes that the approach is intended to extend to other coastal/offshore zones.
How does this project support offshore wind development?
By producing timely, map-based forecasts of offshore migration "hot moments" and "hot areas," the project is intended to support planning and operations. These forecasts can inform monitoring, risk evaluation, and potentially mitigation measures related to offshore wind activities.
What types of migration does the opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes major spring and fall migrations in the Gulf (and the Atlantic), much of which occurs at night and over open water. The focus is on nocturnal offshore movements because they may be harder to observe and could pose risk once offshore wind infrastructure is installed.
What data source is central to the technical approach?
A major technical component is building an analytical pipeline around NOAA’s Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) data.
Why is NEXRAD radar useful for this project?
NEXRAD radars can detect biological targets like birds, which enables the project to estimate migratory activity offshore. The challenge is turning raw radar returns into reliable indicators of bird movement in offshore environments.
What technical challenge does the project need to address with radar data?
The key challenge is separating true bird movement signals from weather, insects, sea clutter, and other forms of radar "noise," especially offshore. The project includes calibration and filtering improvements so the system can better identify "bird-like scattering" rather than confusing it with non-bird echoes.
What is the first step of the study described in the opportunity?
The first step is to calibrate detection and filtering methods in locations where seasonal migration is strong and where coastal radar coverage can capture heavy passage. This calibration is intended to refine how the system identifies bird-like radar signatures.
Where does the opportunity describe initial calibration work taking place?
The description highlights initial work near high-traffic migration areas along the Texas coast, including around Brownsville and Corpus Christi, using nearby NEXRAD stations.
What happens after calibration is successful in the initial test areas?
After the calibration approach performs well in the high-migration test areas, the project scales the same modeling framework to additional NEXRAD stations along the coast. This expansion is needed because offshore radar coverage and detection quality vary by location, and a Gulf-wide forecasting product must draw from multiple radars and handle different environmental conditions.
What kind of outputs is BOEM seeking from this project?
BOEM is seeking an operational-style capability: an offshore extension of BirdCast that ingests radar information, applies tuned filters and models, and produces timely, understandable forecast outputs through real-time, interactive maps.
Who are the intended users of the interactive maps and forecasts?
The mapping products are intended for resource managers, decision-makers, and the general public. The goal is to provide accessible information that can support planning, monitoring, and risk evaluation offshore.
What is meant by "near real time" in the opportunity description?
Based on the description, "near real time" refers to producing live offshore forecasts and timely outputs using radar ingestion and modeling so that migration intensity and location can be anticipated as conditions develop.
What funding instrument is used for GM-22-02?
This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning BOEM expects substantial involvement and collaboration with the recipient rather than a simple pass-through grant.
Is this a competitive funding opportunity open to multiple applicants?
No. It is explicitly described as a single-source cooperative agreement with Cornell University, specifically the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Which organization is named as the recipient/partner for this cooperative agreement?
The opportunity identifies Cornell University, specifically the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, as the single-source recipient/partner.
What is the role of NAC-CESU in this award?
The cooperative agreement is implemented through the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (NAC-CESU), as stated in the opportunity description.
What is the opportunity number associated with GM-22-02?
The listing identifies the opportunity number as M22AS00286.
What is the maximum funding amount mentioned for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $200,000.
What was the original closing date listed for the opportunity?
The original closing date is June 23, 2022.
What is the activity category or program classification noted in the description?
The activity category is environmental, and the description references CFDA 15.423.
How does the opportunity relate to existing infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico?
It notes that the Gulf has extensive offshore oil and gas infrastructure but has not yet developed offshore renewable energy facilities. The project is framed as a preparation step as the region considers offshore wind development.
Why does the opportunity mention rising interest in Gulf offshore wind?
The description cites indicators of growing interest, including Louisiana requesting a BOEM renewable energy task force and 2020 research pointing to promising wind resources offshore of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
What is the overall intended value of the GM-22-02 project?
The intended value is early, actionable awareness of offshore migration events so that offshore wind planning and management can better account for avian movement patterns and reduce the chance of harmful interactions as the Gulf offshore wind sector develops.
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